Agrochemical concentrates containing alkyl polyglucoside and non-ionic surfactant

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a mixture of an alkyl polyglucoside with a (biological performance improving) adjuvant which is a non-ionic surfactant, the mixture improving the biological performance of an agrochemical. The biological performance effect of the alkyl polyglucoside is poorer than the partner adjuvant but the biological performance effect of the mixture is as good as that delivered by a much larger amount of that better, partner adjuvant alone.

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/347,561, filed May 3, 2019, which is a 371 National Stage application of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/076117, filed Oct. 12, 2017, which claims priority to 1618479.8, filed Nov. 2, 2016, the entire contents of which applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

This invention relates to a mixture of an alkyl polyglucoside with a (biological performance improving) adjuvant which is a non-ionic surfactant, the mixture improving the biological performance of an agrochemical. The biological performance effect of the alkyl polyglucoside is poorer than the partner adjuvant but the biological performance effect of the mixture is as good as that delivered by a much larger amount of that better, partner adjuvant alone.

Alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) are used in agrochemical formulations for various reasons, such as surfactants for wetting, and they are known to have adjuvant effects. These adjuvant effects allow more biological activity to be gained from the application of a agrochemical to a plant or crop. The fundamental performance of APGs as bioperformance enhancing adjuvants is however rather poor. Examples in the literature indicate that there are many better adjuvants which could be used instead. The literature does not provide any direction about mixtures of APG adjuvants with other better adjuvants. Examples of APGs with other surfactants are known, however there is nothing to indicate that these mixtures are better or worse than any other mixture of adjuvants.

The APGs used in the present invention are compounds of formula (I):

where n is a mean value and is from 7 to 11; and m is a mean value and is from 1 to 3. [n+1 is the mean number of carbon atoms in the hydrophobic tail of the APG; and m is the mean number of sugar rings on the hydrophilic head group of the APG.]

There are examples in the literature which show that the rate of added adjuvant is important in determining the level of efficacy improvement of an agrochemical. It might be expected that a mixture with a low quantity of a good adjuvant and a large quantity of a poor adjuvant would not be as efficacious as a formulation with a large quantity of a good adjuvant alone. Surprisingly we have found that this is not the case. Where we have replaced some of a good adjuvant in a composition with an equivalent weight of an APG we have found that the biological performance achieved with the mixture is equal to that achieved with the composition with the higher weight of the good adjuvant.

There are several advantages which can be gained by using a mixture of an APG with another adjuvant. The inclusion of the APG can reduce the overall cost of the formulation, it can alter its aqueous dilution properties and it can alter the toxicology of the formulation.

The present invention relies on the appropriate ‘HLB’ of the good adjuvant. The hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of a surfactant is a measure of the degree to which it is hydrophilic or lipophilic, determined by calculating values for the different regions of the molecule, as described by Griffin in 1949 and 1954. Although other methods have been suggested, notably in 1957 by Davies, the present invention relies upon the Griffin HLB method, in which:

HLB=20×M _(h) /M

where M_(h) is the molecular mass of the hydrophilic portion of the molecule, and M is the molecular mass of the whole molecule, giving a result on a scale of 0 to 20. Whilst the Griffin HLB can be calculated empirically for simple molecules, for more complicated structures there are suitable experimental procedures (for example, see Chun and Martin, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 50, No. 9, September 1961, pp 732-736).

An HLB value of 0 corresponds to a completely lipophilic/hydrophobic molecule, and a value of 20 corresponds to a completely hydrophilic/lipophobic molecule.

Griffin HLB values for a variety of non-ionic surfactants (some given as Trade Names) are tabulated in Table A. The non-ionic surfactants of this invention have HLB values that are greater than or equal to 12.

TABLE A Non-ionic Surfactant Griffin HLB Tween  ® 20 16.7 Brij ® 98 15.3 Lubrol ® 17A17 15.1 Tween ® 80 15 Agnique ® F0H9 OC-20 B 14.6 Plurafac ® LF 221 13.9 Octyl phenol 10E 13.4 C8-10 APG 13.2 Brij ® 96 12.2 Synperonic ® A7 12.1 Tween ® 85 11 C12-14E4 9.4 Span ® 20 8.6 Brij ® 92 4.9 Glyceryl monooleate 4.2 Glyceryl monostearate 3.8 Coco monoethanolamide 3.5 Pentanol 3.1

The present invention provides a composition comprising

(i) an alkyl polyglucoside of formula (I)

where n is a mean value and is from 7 to 11; and m is a mean value and is from 1 to 3;

-   -   (ii) a non-ionic surfactant which is not an alkyl polyglucoside         and which has a Griffin HLB greater than or equal to 12; and     -   (iii) an agrochemical, or a salt of an agrochemical, which has a         water solubility of less than 300 g/l at 25° C.;         where the concentration by weight of component (i) is greater         than or equal to the concentration by weight of component (ii).

Preferably the Griffin HLB of the non-ionic surfactant is greater than or equal to 12.5; more preferably it is from 13 to 17; even more preferably it is from 13.5 to 16; and most preferably it is from 13.5 to 15.

Preferably the Griffin HLB of the alkyl polyglucoside is greater than or equal to 12; more preferably it is from 13 to 17; even more preferably it is from 13.5 to 16; and most preferably it is from 13.5 to 15.

Preferred non-ionic surfactants are selected from Agnique® FOH9 OC-20B (also referred to as Agnique® 20B or Ag 20B), Plurafac® LF 221 and Synperonic® A7 and their chemical equivalents. The surfactants are defined according to their CAS numbers which are respectively:

CAS 146340-16-1 Alcohols, C12-18, ethers with polyethylene glycol mono-Butyl ether; CAS 111905-53-4 Alcohols, C13-15-branched and linear, butoxylated, ethoxylated; and CAS 68131-39-5 Fatty Alcohol ethoxylate.

Agnique® 20B is a butyl ether of a fatty alcohol ethoxylate with an average of 20 moles of ethoxylate. Plurafac® LF 221 is a butylene oxide/ethylene oxide copolymer of a C13-C15 alcohol. Synperonic® A7 is a fatty alcohol ethoxylate with an average of seven moles of ethoxylate.

Suitable APG commercial products, according to formula (I) are provided in Table B:

TABLE B Tail carbon Mean number of Griffin APG atoms Sugar rings (m) HLB Agnique ® PG8105 from 8 to 10 1.5 13.2 Agnique ® PG8107 from 8 to 10 1.7 13.6 Agnique ® PG9116 from 9 to 11 1.6 13.1 Agnique ® PG8166 from 8 to 16 1.6 12.8 Agnique ® PG266 from 12 to 16 1.6 12.8

n+1 is the mean number of carbon atoms in the hydrophobic tail of the surfactant.

Preferably n is from 7 to 15; more preferably n is from 7 to 13; and even more preferably it is from 7 to 11.

m is the mean number of sugar rings on the hydrophilic head group of the APG.

Preferably m is from 1 to 3; more preferably m is from 1 to 2; most preferably m is from 1.4 to 1.8.

The adjuvant composition of this invention is designed to improve the biological efficacy of an agrochemical, or salt of an agrochemical, which has a water solubility less than 300 g/l at 25° C.

The noun “agrochemical” and term “agrochemically active ingredient” are used herein interchangeably, and include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, molluscicides, fungicides, plant growth regulators and safeners; preferably herbicides, insecticides and fungicides; more preferably fungicides and herbicides; and most preferably fungicides.

Provided an agrochemical, or a salt of the agrochemical, selected form those given below, has a water solubility of less than 300 g/l (preferably less than 200 g/l; more preferably less than 100 g/l; even more preferably less than 50 g/l; and most preferably less than 5 g/l) at 25° C., then it is suitable for the present invention.

Suitable herbicides include pinoxaden, bicyclopyrone, mesotrione, fomesafen, tralkoxydim, napropamide, amitraz, propanil, pyrimethanil, dicloran, tecnazene, toclofos methyl, flamprop M, 2,4-D, MCPA, mecoprop, clodinafop-propargyl, cyhalofop-butyl, diclofop methyl, haloxyfop, quizalofop-P, indol-3-ylacetic acid, 1-naphthylacetic acid, isoxaben, tebutam, chlorthal dimethyl, benomyl, benfuresate, dicamba, dichlobenil, benazolin, triazoxide, fluazuron, teflubenzuron, phenmedipham, acetochlor, alachlor, metolachlor, pretilachlor, thenylchlor, alloxydim, butroxydim, clethodim, cyclodim, sethoxydim, tepraloxydim, pendimethalin, dinoterb, bifenox, oxyfluorfen, acifluorfen, fluoroglycofen-ethyl, bromoxynil, ioxynil, imazamethabenz-methyl, imazapyr, imazaquin, imazethapyr, imazapic, imazamox, flumioxazin, flumiclorac-pentyl, picloram, amodosulfuron, chlorsulfuron, nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron, triasulfuron, triallate, pebulate, prosulfocarb, molinate, atrazine, simazine, cyanazine, ametryn, prometryn, terbuthylazine, terbutryn, sulcotrione, isoproturon, linuron, fenuron, chlorotoluron, metoxuron, iodosulfuron, mesosulfuron, diflufenican, flufenacet, fluroxypyr, aminopyralid, pyroxsulam, XDE-848 Rinskor and halauxifen-methyl.

Suitable fungicides include isopyrazam, mandipropamid, azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, kresoxim methyl, famoxadone, metominostrobin and picoxystrobin, cyprodanil, carbendazim, thiabendazole, dimethomorph, vinclozolin, iprodione, dithiocarbamate, imazalil, prochloraz, fluquinconazole, epoxiconazole, flutriafol, azaconazole, bitertanol, bromuconazole, cyproconazole, difenoconazole, hexaconazole, paclobutrazole, propiconazole, tebuconazole, triadimefon, trtiticonazole, fenpropimorph, tridemorph, fenpropidin, mancozeb, metiram, chlorothalonil, thiram, ziram, captafol, captan, folpet, fluazinam, flutolanil, carboxin, metalaxyl, bupirimate, ethirimol, dimoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, orysastrobin, metominostrobin, prothioconazole, adepidyn, bixafen, fluxapyroxad, prothioconazole, pyraclostrobin, revysol, solatenol and xemium.

Suitable insecticides include thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, fipronil, abamectin, emamectin, bendiocarb, carbaryl, fenoxycarb, isoprocarb, pirimicarb, propoxur, xylylcarb, asulam, chlorpropham, endosulfan, heptachlor, tebufenozide, bensultap, diethofencarb, pirimiphos methyl, aldicarb, methomyl, cyprmethrin, bioallethrin, deltamethrin, lambda cyhalothrin, cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, fenvalerate, imiprothrin, permethrin, halfenprox, oxamyl, flupyradifurone, sedaxane, inscalis, rynaxypyr, sulfoxaflor and spinetoram.

Suitable plant growth regulators include paclobutrazole and 1-methylcyclopropene.

Suitable safeners include benoxacor, cloquintocet-mexyl, cyometrinil, dichlormid, fenchlorazole-ethyl, fenclorim, flurazole, fluxofenim, mefenpyr-diethyl, MG-191, naphthalic anhydride and oxabetrinil.

Suitably, the agrochemical is selected from bicyclopyrone, mesotrione, pinoxaden, fomesafen, tralkoxydim, napropamide, amitraz, propanil, pyrimethanil, dicloran, tecnazene, toclofos methyl, flamprop M, 2,4-D, MCPA, mecoprop, clodinafop-propargyl, cyhalofop-butyl, diclofop methyl, haloxyfop, quizalofop-P, indol-3-ylacetic acid, 1-naphthylacetic acid, isoxaben, tebutam, chlorthal dimethyl, benomyl, benfuresate, dicamba, dichlobenil, benazolin, triazoxide, fluazuron, teflubenzuron, phenmedipham, acetochlor, alachlor, metolachlor, pretilachlor, thenylchlor, alloxydim, butroxydim, clethodim, cyclodim, sethoxydim, tepraloxydim, pendimethalin, dinoterb, bifenox, oxyfluorfen, acifluorfen, fluoroglycofen-ethyl, bromoxynil, ioxynil, imazamethabenz-methyl, imazapyr, imazaquin, imazethapyr, imazapic, imazamox, flumioxazin, flumiclorac-pentyl, picloram, amodosulfuron, chlorsulfuron, nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron, triasulfuron, triallate, pebulate, prosulfocarb, molinate, atrazine, simazine, cyanazine, ametryn, prometryn, terbuthylazine, terbutryn, sulcotrione, isoproturon, linuron, fenuron, chlorotoluron, metoxuron, isopyrazam, mandipropamid, azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, kresoxim methyl, famoxadone, metominostrobin and picoxystrobin, cyprodanil, carbendazim, thiabendazole, dimethomorph, vinclozolin, iprodione, dithiocarbamate, imazalil, prochloraz, fluquinconazole, epoxiconazole, flutriafol, azaconazole, bitertanol, bromuconazole, cyproconazole, difenoconazole, hexaconazole, paclobutrazole, propiconazole, tebuconazole, triadimefon, trtiticonazole, fenpropimorph, tridemorph, fenpropidin, mancozeb, metiram, chlorothalonil, thiram, ziram, captafol, captan, folpet, fluazinam, flutolanil, carboxin, metalaxyl, bupirimate, ethirimol, dimoxystrobin, fluoxastrobin, orysastrobin, metominostrobin, prothioconazole, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, fipronil, abamectin, emamectin, bendiocarb, carbaryl, fenoxycarb, isoprocarb, pirimicarb, propoxur, xylylcarb, asulam, chlorpropham, endosulfan, heptachlor, tebufenozide, bensultap, diethofencarb, pirimiphos methyl, aldicarb, methomyl, cyprmethrin, bioallethrin, deltamethrin, lambda cyhalothrin, cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, fenvalerate, imiprothrin, permethrin, halfenprox, paclobutrazole, 1-methylcyclopropene, benoxacor, cloquintocet-mexyl, cyometrinil, dichlormid, fenchlorazole-ethyl, fenclorim, flurazole, fluxofenim, mefenpyr-diethyl, MG-191, naphthalic anhydride and oxabetrinil.

Preferred agrochemical active ingredients are isopyrazam, epoxiconazole, fomesafen, mesotrione, pinoxaden, abamectin, nicosulfuron and azoxystrobin.

More preferably, the agrochemical is selected from isopyrazam, epoxiconazole, fomesafen, mesotrione, pinoxaden and nicosulfuron. Even more preferably, the agrochemical is isopyrazam or epoxiconazole.

The various editions of The Pesticide Manual [especially the 14th and 15th editions] also disclose details of agrochemicals, any one of which may suitably be used in the present invention.

Suitably, compositions of the invention may comprise one or more of the agrochemicals described above.

Generally any agrochemically active ingredient will be present at a concentration of from about 0.000001% to about 90% w/w; preferably from about 0.001% to about 90% w/w. Agrochemical compositions of the invention may be in the form of a ready-to-use formulation or in concentrate form suitable for further dilution by the end user, and the concentration of agrochemical, non-ionic surfactant and compound of formula (I) will be adjusted accordingly. In concentrated form, compositions of the invention typically contain an agrochemical at from 5 to 90% w/w, more preferably from 5 to 75% w/w, even more preferably from 10 to 50% w/w, of the total composition. Ready-to-use compositions of the invention will typically contain an agrochemical at from 0.000001% to 1% w/w, more preferably from 0.000001% to 0.5% w/w, and more preferably still from 0.001% to 0.1% w/w, of the total composition.

Suitably a composition of the present invention has a weight ratio of component (i) to component (ii) from 1:1 to 10:1; more suitably from 2:1 to 5:1; even more suitably from 2.5:1 to 3.5:1; and most suitably 3:1.

The compositions of the present invention may relate to concentrates designed to be added to a farmer's spray tank of water or they may be applied directly without further dilution.

The present invention also relates to a composition in a farmer's spray tank; it includes a composition as described above which further comprises water and the total concentration of components (i) and (ii) in the water is at least 0.05% by volume.

Preferably compositions are selected from an SC (suspension concentrate); an SL (soluble liquid); an EC (emulsifiable concentrate); a DC (dispersible concentrate); and an OD (oil dispersion).

Furthermore, an adjuvant system as herein described may be designed to be added to a formulation of an agrochemical (for example by mixing with water in a farmer's spray tank).

Therefore in a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of a composition, which is preferably an SL (soluble liquid), to improve the biological performance of an agrochemical, or a salt of an agrochemical, which has a water solubility of less than 300 g/l at 25° C.; where the composition comprises:

-   -   (i) an alkyl polyglucoside of formula (I) where n is a mean         value and is from 7 to 11; and m is a mean value and is from 1         to 3; and     -   (ii) a non-ionic surfactant which is not an alkyl polyglucoside         and which has a Griffin HLB greater than or equal to 12; where         the concentration by weight of component (i) is greater than or         equal to the concentration by weight of component (ii).

The compositions of the present invention may include other ingredients such as an anti-foam agent, an anti-bacterial agent, colourant, perfume etc.

The following examples demonstrate the biological performance of APG mixtures of adjuvants. Throughout the examples, the amount of adjuvant used refers to the adjuvant itself (rather than the product in which it is contained, since the product might not be 100% adjuvant) and the ratios of adjuvants are ratios by weight.

EXAMPLE 1

This example shows that a mixture of three parts of an APG with 1 part of a standard high quality adjuvant was as effective against the fungus Septoria tritici as a formulation containing an equivalent weight of just the standard adjuvant. Wheat plants were sprayed with water (actually a 12.5% v/v isopropanol in water mixture to avoid retention problems on the leaf surface) at a rate of 200 litres per hectare, the water containing isopyrazam, at a concentration which achieved an isopyrazam application rate of 0.6, 2, 6 or 20 grams per hectare. The isopyrazam was supplied as a suspension concentrate formulation. Each adjuvant system tested was added at a rate of 0.1% by volume (v/v) of the total spray mixture. As comparisons to the with-adjuvant applications, the izopyrazam suspension concentrate formulation was also tested without an adjuvant; and in addition a blank formulation without agrochemical or adjuvant was tested (this meant that the blank formulation was merely an isopropanol/water mixture; the blank had the same amount of isopropanol as the other formulations tested in this example). Each experiment was replicated 12 times. The wheat plants were inoculated four days before being sprayed; 14 days after spraying, the percentage disease (infection) on each wheat plant was assessed visually.

The infection results were analysed using Tukeys HSD test (which compares mean results) and a letter was assigned to each experiment; experiments with different letters produced results which were statistically different to each other.

In this test the commercial adjuvant Aqnique® PG8107 (see Table B) was used as the APG and the adjuvant Agnique® FOH9 OC-20B was used as the standard adjuvant; the adjuvant system was either Agnique® PG8107 alone (at 0.1% v/v); Agnique® FOH9 OC-20B alone (at 0.1% v/v); or a 3 to 1 ratio by weight of the APG of Agnique® PG8107 to the non-ionic surfactant of Agnique® FOH9 OC-20B (Ag 20B) (at a total of 0.1% v/v).

Table 1 shows the mean percentage Septoria tritici control for the adjuvants used across the four concentrations of isopyrazam as well as the standard experiment without adjuvant and the blank (isopropanol/water) test; where low levels of infection mean good control. It can be seen that the APG adjuvant was not as good as either the ‘3 APG to 1 Standard’ adjuvant system or the standard adjuvant.

TABLE 1 Mean % Performance c.f. Adjuvant System infection Letter Agnique ® 20B alone APG 83.3 A Worse Blank 71.5 A Worse No adjuvant 68.4 A Worse Standard adjuvant 45.9 BC Equal 3 APG to 1 Standard 37.3 CD Equal

EXAMPLE 2

Like Example 1, this example shows that a mixture of three parts by weight of an APG with 1 part of a standard high quality adjuvant was as effective against the fungus Septoria tritici as a formulation containing an equivalent weight of just the standard adjuvant; the difference being that instead of isopyrazam, the fungicide used was epoxiconazole. The epoxiconazole was supplied as a suspension concentrate formulation.

Table 2 shows the mean percentage Septoria tritici control for the adjuvants used across the four concentrations of epoxiconazole as well as the standard experiment without adjuvant and the blank (isopropanol/water) test; where low levels of infection mean good control. It can be seen that the ‘3 APG to 1 Standard’ formulation was as good as the standard adjuvant formulation.

TABLE 2 Mean % Performance c.f. Adjuvant System infection Letter Agnique ® 20B alone Blank 72.7 A Worse No adjuvant 41.2 B Worse APG 28.8 BC Worse 3 APG to 1 Standard 18.1 CD Equal Standard 11.4 D Equal

EXAMPLE 3

This Example is identical in approach to Example 1. In this test the commercial adjuvant Agnique® PG8107 was used as the APG and the adjuvants Agnique® FOH9 OC-20B, Tween® 20, Synperonic® A7 and Plurafac® LF221 were used as examples of highly effective adjuvants.

Table 3 shows the mean percentage Septoria tritici control for the adjuvants used, averaged across the four levels of isopyrazam, as well as a standard formulation without adjuvant and a blank formulation. It can be seen that the APG adjuvant alone was not as good as Ag 20B alone nor the 3 to 1 APG blends with Agnique® 20B, Synperonic® A7 or Plurafac® LF221. All of the APG blends except that with Tween® 20 were as good as Agnique® 20B alone.

TABLE 3 Adjuvant System Mean % infection Letter No adjuvant 75.5 A Blank 63.9 AB APG 58.0 B 3:1 APG:Tween ®20 55.7 B 3:1 APG:Synperonic ® A7 31.7 C 3:1 APG:Agnique ® 20B 31.5 C 3:1 APG:Plurafac ® LF221 30.7 C Agnique ® 20B 26.5 C

EXAMPLE 4

This Example is identical in approach to Example 2. In this test the commercial adjuvant Agnique® PG8107 was used as the APG and the adjuvants Agnique® FOH9 OC-20B, Tween® 20, Synperonic® A7 and Plurafac® LF221 were used as examples of highly effective adjuvants.

Table 4 shows the mean percentage Septoria tritici control for the adjuvants used, averaged across the four levels of epoxiconazole, as well as a standard formulation without adjuvant and a blank formulation. It can be seen that all the APG mixture systems were as good as the Agnique® 20B adjuvant.

TABLE 4 Adjuvant System Mean % infection Letter Blank 62.0 A No adjuvant 57.7 A APG 35.9 B 3:1 APG:Tween ®20 27.2 BC 3:1 APG:Synperonic ® A7 25.7 BC 3:1 APG:Plurafac ® LF221 25.1 BC Agnique ® 20B 19.5 C 3:1 APG:Agnique ® 20B 19.1 C

EXAMPLE 5

Individual plants of soyabean, bean or Chinese cabbage were sprayed with aqueous solutions of various adjuvant systems, at a total spray rate of 200 l/ha. The concentration of adjuvant in the spray water was either 0.1, 0.2 or 0.5% by volume. Visual damage to the plants was recorded 7 days after application as percentages of the surface showing phytotoxicity. Four adjuvants were tested, these were Agnique® 20 B; Agnique® PG8108; a blend of 1:1 by weight of the two adjuvants of those products; and a blend of 1:3 by weight of the non-ionic of Agnique® 20 B to the APG of Agnique® PG8108. Table 5 shows the resulting phytotoxicity scores; spray solutions with higher loadings of APG were less phytotoxic than those with equivalent levels of Agnique® 20B. All experiments were carried out twice and averaged.

TABLE 5 Phytotoxicity assessments. Rate % Agnique ® Ag 20B: Ag 20B: APG Plant v/v 20B (alone) APG 1:1 APG 1:3 (alone) Soybean 0.50% 15 20 10 2 0.20% 10 10 5 1 0.10% 2 2 1 0 Bean 0.50% 10 5 2 0 0.20% 5 0 0 0 0.10% 0 0 0 0 Chinese 0.50% 20 20 2 0 cabbage 0.20% 10 5 1 0 0.10% 5 2 0 0

EXAMPLE 6

Adjuvants were tested in a glasshouse against four weed species in combination with the herbicide nicosulfuron. An agrochemical composition was prepared containing 0.2% v/v of the adjuvant in a track sprayer and was applied at a volume of 200 litres per hectare. Nicosulfuron was applied at either 30 or 60 grams of pesticide per hectare on weeds which had been grown in a glasshouse. The weed species were Chenopodium album (CHEAL) BBCH leaf stage 1.4-1.5, Abutilon theophrasti (ABUTH) BBCH leaf stage 1.3, Setaria viridis (SETVI) BBCH leaf stage 1.3-1.4, and Digitaria sanguinalis (DIGSA) BBCH leaf stage 1.4.

Each spray test was replicated three times. The efficacy of the herbicide was assessed visually and expressed as a percentage of the leaf area killed. Samples were assessed at time periods of 14 and 21 days following application. The results shown in Table 6 below are mean averages over the two rates of nicosulfuron, three replicates and the two assessment timings. The results of a mixture of the alkyl polyglucoside (Agnique® PG 8107) with a commercially available adjuvant Agnique OC 20B® (BASF SE), are compared to the two components tested singly, as well as an adjuvant free formulation, and also another commercially available adjuvant for nicosulfuron, Atplus 411F® (Clariant GmbH), tested at the recommended level of 0.5% by volume.

A letter has been ascribed to each result according to Tukey's HSD test. Samples with the same letter provide the same statistical level of performance. It can be seen that in all cases the mixture of two surfactants was as good as Agnique FOH9 OC-20B or Atplus 411F. The alkyl polyglucoside alone was not as good on any weed species as Agnique FOH9 OC-20B.

TABLE 6 Adjuvant SETVI CHEAL ABUTH DIGSA Atplus ® 41 IF 91.8 A 78.3 AB 60.0 AB 84.2 A Agnique ® 92.2 A 80.0 A 65.0 A 82.5 A FOH 9 OC-20B Agnique ® 91.8 A 76.7 AB 56.7 AB 82.9 A 20B/APG 1:3 Agnique ® 79.6 C 68.3 B 54.6 B 47.1 B PG 8107 No Adjuvant 86.3 B 38.3 C 62.1 AB  6.7 C

EXAMPLE 7

Adjuvants were tested in a glasshouse against four weed species in combination with the herbicide fomesafen. An agrochemical composition was prepared containing 0.2% v/v of the adjuvant in a track sprayer and was applied at a volume of 200 litres per hectare. Fomesafen was applied at either 100 or 200 grams of pesticide per hectare. The weed species were Chenopodium album (CHEAL) BBCH leaf stage 1.6, Abutilon theophrasti (ABUTH) BBCH leaf stage 1.3, Setaria viridis (SETVI) BBCH leaf stage 1.4, and Ipomea hederacea (IPOHE) BBCH leaf stage 1.2.

Each spray test was replicated three times. The efficacy of the herbicide was assessed visually and expressed as a percentage of the leaf area killed. Samples were assessed at time periods of 14 and 21 days following application. The results shown in Table 7 below are mean averages over the two rates of fomesafen, three replicates and the two assessment timings.

The results of a mixture of the alkyl polyglucoside (Agnique® PG 8107) with a commercially available adjuvant Agnique OC 20B® (BASF SE), are compared to the two components tested singly, as well as an adjvant free formulation, and also another commercially available adjuvant for fomesafen, Turbocharge® D (Syngenta crop protection Canada Ltd), tested at the recommended level of 0.5% by volume.

A letter has been ascribed to each result according to Tukey's HSD test. Samples with the same letter provide the same statistical level of performance. It can be seen that in all cases the mixture of two surfactants was as good as Agnique FOH9 OC-20B. The alkyl polyglucoside alone was not as good as either of the standard adjuvants on CHEAL, or as good as Turbocharge D on ABUTH.

TABLE 7 Adjuvant SETVI CHEAL ABUTH IPOHE Turbocharge ® D 63.0 A 74.8 A 78.5 A 90.8 A Agnique ® 72.4 A 71.7 AB 66.5 B 97.7 A FOH 9 OC-20B Agnique ® 20B/APG 57.2 A 60.5 BC 69.0 AB 96.4 A 1:3 Agnique ® PG 8107 49.7 A 57.5 C 59.0 B 89.2 A No Adjuvant 52.1 A 39.1 D 69.5 AB 54.1 B

EXAMPLE 8

Adjuvants were tested in a glasshouse against three weed species in combination with the herbicide mesotrione. An agrochemical composition was prepared containing 0.2% v/v of the adjuvant in a track sprayer and was applied at a volume of 200 litres per hectare. Mesotrione was applied at either 60 or 120 grams of pesticide per hectare on weeds which had been grown to the 1.3 or 1.4 leaf stage. The weed species were Polygonum convolvulus (POLCO) BBCH growth stage 1.4, Brachiaria platyphylla (BRAPP) BBCH growth stage 1.4, and Digitaria sanguinalis (DIGSA) BBCH growth stage 1.4.

Each spray test was replicated three times. The efficacy of the herbicide was assessed visually and expressed as a percentage of the leaf area killed. Samples were assessed at time periods of 14 and 21 days following application. The results shown in Table 8 below are mean averages over the two rates of mesotrione, three replicates and the two assessment timings.

The results of a mixture of the alkyl polyglucoside (Agnique® PG 8107) with a commercially available adjuvant Agnique FOH 9 OC 20B® (BASF SE), are compared to the two components tested singly, as well as an adjvant free formulation, and also another commercially available adjuvant for mesotrione, Tween 20 ® (Croda Europe Limited), tested at the recommended level of 0.5% by volume.

A letter has been ascribed to each result according to Tukey's HSD test. Samples with the same letter provide the same statistical level of performance. It can be seen that in all cases the adjuvants performed better than the sample without an adjuvant. The mixture of alkylpolyglucoside was as good as the single adjuvant samples. While in this test it has not been shown that the alkyl polyglucoside mixture is statistically better than the single APG adjuvant, it has been shown to be numerically better, and statistically just as good.

TABLE 8 Adjuvant BRAPP DIGSA POLCO Tween ® 20 54.2 A 82.1 A 83.2 AB Agnique ® 62.9 A 74.6 A 86.3 A FOH 9 OC-20B Agnique ® 20B/APG 57.5 A 77.5 A 87.8 A 1:3 Agnique ® PG 8107 54.6 A 73.8 A 87.7 A No Adjuvant 33.8 B 37.1 B 74.8 B

EXAMPLE 9

Adjuvants were tested in a glasshouse against four weed species in combination with the herbicide pinoxaden. An agrochemical composition was prepared containing 0.2% v/v of the adjuvant in a track sprayer and was applied at a volume of 200 litres per hectare. Pinoxaden was applied at either 7.5 or 15 grams of pesticide per hectare on each of the weed species. The weed species and their growth stage at spraying were Alopecurus myosuroides (ALOMY; BBHC growth stage 1.3), Avenafatua (AVEFA; BBHC growth stage 1.2); Lolium perenne (LOLPE; BBHC growth stage 1.3), Setaria viridis (SETVI; BBHC growth stage 1.3-1.4).

Each spray test was replicated three times. The efficacy of the herbicide was assessed visually and expressed as a percentage of the leaf area killed. Samples were assessed at time periods of 14 and 21 days following application. The results shown in Table 9 below are mean averages over the two rates of pinoxaden, three replicates and the two assessment timings.

The results of a mixture of the alkyl polyglucoside (Agnique® PG 8107) with a commercially available adjuvant Agnique OC 20B® (BASF SE), are compared to the two components tested singly, as well as an adjvant free formulation, and also another commercially available adjuvant for pinoxaden, Synergen TEHP® (Clariant GmbH), tested at the recommended level of 0.5% by volume.

A letter has been ascribed to each result according to Tukey's HSD test. Samples with the same letter provide the same statistical level of performance. It can be seen that in all cases the mixture of two surfactants was as good as Agnique FOH9 OC-20B. The alkyl polyglucoside alone was not as good on any weed species as Agnique FOH9 OC-20B, with the exception of ALOMY. In that case the mixture of APG with Agnique 20B was statistically better than the APG single adjuvant.

TABLE 9 Adjuvant AVEFA LOLPE SETVI ALOMY TEHP 85.0 A 81.7 A 91.4 A 28.8 A Agnique ® 77.9 B 44.3 B 89.8 A 12.0 BC FOH 9 OC-20B Agnique ® 20B/APG 76.3 B 38.1 B 88.0 A 15.8 B 1:3 Agnique ® PG 8107  8.6 C  3.8 C 39.5 B  4.1 C No Adjuvant  5.6 C  2.4 C  7.3 C  4.0 C 

1. Use of a composition which is an SL (soluble liquid) to improve the biological performance of an agrochemical, or a salt of an agrochemical, which has a water solubility of less than 300 g/l at 25° C.; where the composition comprises: (i) an alkyl polyglucoside of formula (I)

where n is a mean value and is from 7 to 11; and m is a mean value and is from 1 to 3; and (ii) a non-ionic surfactant which is not an alkyl polyglucoside and which has a Griffin HLB greater than or equal to 12; where the concentration by weight of component (i) is greater than or equal to the concentration by weight of component (ii). 